4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 207 km N of Daocheng, China — September 18, 2026

2026-09-18 12:09:48 UTC (2026-09-18) · approx. 7:09 PM UTC+7 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time12:09 UTC≈ 7:09 PM UTC+7
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates30.884°, 99.936°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 18, 2026 at 12:09 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 207 km N of Daocheng, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 30.8840°, 99.9358°. This earthquake was detected by 59 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 30.88°, 99.94°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
30.8840°N
99.9358°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000ti9a
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
59
Azimuthal Gap
69.0°
Min Station Distance
5.955°
RMS Residual
0.41 sec
Last Updated
2026-10-12 16:04:54 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Daocheng, China?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 207 km N of Daocheng, China on September 18, 2026 at 12:09 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 30.8840°, 99.9358°, which is 207 km N of Daocheng, China.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ti9a). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 18, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 207 km N of Daocheng, China — September 18, 2026. Retrieved October 12, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ti9a/